LADIES' COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 9, 10 July 1909, Page 11

LADIES' COLUMN.

London JBashion Notes. SOME UP-TO-DATE MILLINERY FEATURES. (From Qnr Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 28th May. The latest hat shapes are made of the thinnest of crinoline straw ; tho crowns are still of vast dimensions, and of tne beehive type, so the novelty consists in the arrangement of the brim. This on the left side is wider than on the right, and on the left it turns sharply up, standing erect against the crown. A great mass of feathers is placed outside rhe sudden upturned brim, and these fall downward on to the hair with a tendency to sweep backward ; apart from these leathers tho shape is altogether without trimming, unleffr a string of b&ads can be so classified. Viewed from the left side the effect is strange, and from the right it is not pleasing. A great, deal of velvet characterises the present millinery. There are binaller shapes of umbrella dimensions lnade ot fine straw or of linen or of Shantung silk. These aro banded by broad ribbon velvet, tied at one side with flat bow and cnAs ; there is no attempt made to double the velvet up when formipg the bows ; all the loops are quite square. Many of the biggest shapes' other than eailor depend wholly upon broad velvet ribbon for trimmings ; especially is this the case with black hats, on which the velvet is of a. vivid cornflower blue or cerise or emerald or cinnamon. A few flat loops aro allowed to go just as they please where they choose, and no special skill seems to be required to produce an eft'eot that will appeal to the novelty-seeker. A great display of velvet ribbon is noticeable in many of the millinery models. Ribbon folded and gathered to look like petals is used for entire hate, and the effect is that of gigantic blossoms in the mushroom toque shapes. The mushitoom crowns in straw, chip, horsehair, or an Italian straw, with an undu'ating brim, are shown in, profusion for summer wear. Moire silk ribbon still enjoys wonderful popularity, and the latest idea is a huge bow of honey-coloured moire on a hat of dark Japanese blue straw, the crown being encircled with the ribbon, and tlia bow placed exactly in front. Straw shapes lined with lace beneath the brim ore not at all novel, but shapes of lace with straw lining under the brim are distinctly new. The hat of stretched dentelle, with coloured straw beneath the brim, and trimmed on top -with a huge bouquet of snowy feathers, will probably be regarded as one of the srreatest triumphs evor known in the millinery world. An interesting detail is the huge pompom or rosette made of frayed rafßia, which is placed like an enormous puff-ball on one sido of the hat. The basis of the shape itself is not necessarily of raffia to match, while a band of black velvet as wide as the crown it encircles often clasps it closely, and throws up the pale lint of the rosette to tho best advantage. In Other instances the raflia ia used like old lace, a largo strip of it encircling the hat and being tied in a flat bow on one side with frayed ends ; tins makes a chango from the silk scarf which figures on too many of the useful class of hat. Wo havo not yet seen the last of the big hat, for some of the manufacturers aro turning out exaggerated shapes in the felts which are in course of preparation for our next autumn and winter. A NEW SKIRT. Something more elaborate in the way of the pinafore dress ia announced, made with a skirt that is altogether now. It is mado in a short walking length, and fully kilted all the way round. In front, however, the kilts disappear from sight under a long straight tablier, which is cut in one with tho upper part of the skirt and the pinafore- bodice. This part of the skirt, by the way, is fastened on one side with large buttons covered with linen in a dark shado of purplo— the dress was mado of lilaccoloured linen. Tho pinafore top was cut out into a_V-shapo and bordered 'with soutache braiding, the idea, being 1 repeated also under each arm, while on tho shoulders there were straps of dark purple silk ribbon, connecting the front and back togethor and fastening invisibly with hooks and eyes. Such a dreFS requires the finish of a, guimpc — yoke and sleeves — of net or lawn, or there may b<? a complete blouse underneath finished with a Peter Pan collar of soft white muslin finely embroidered. At the moment the Peter Pan type of collar is seen as a finish to nirie out of every ten washing dreesos, while it finishes almost all the ready-made summer blouses, accompanied by dainty cuffs to match. With tho plain unlined Princess frock in self-coloured, tussore or linen, a pretty little finish is the pure, white collar band of an entirely different material, embroidered in silks of various shadings ; the effect is very taking and piquant ; otherwise tho dress is of the demure type without relief of buttons or any other form of triinmintr. With such frocks, too, the Peter Pan collar is worn, sometimes made of lawn and embroidery of old ivory tint — coloured for the purpose where the real antiquity is not possessed. The kilted style of 6kirt is attached to a plainly-fitting top, which extends below the hip 3, and is simply buttoned up like a child's dress at the back to the. level of the kilts. Sometimes, where the back is kept perfectly smooth, the fastening is introduced under the left arm_ instead, while, to give the kilta that straight appearance which is desired, the long kilts are carefully kept in place by eeveral rows of tape. A new back has the middle width of the skirt set in pleats or kilts, which aro stitched down for some inches ; the effect is something like that of a wide box-pleat ; elsewhere the skirt ie plain and fitting, tho bac-k width alone has the fulness, and this is flat during 1 part of its progress. The inventor of the blouse suit deserves the gratitude of all womenkind. There was never anything more convenient or more cheaply priced or moro easy to adjust. In the new material, silk serge, they are light aud cool, yet havo sufficient substanco to resist a shower and keep out tho cold. They aro also to be had in cashmere, shantungf, and washing materials of e\ery kind, such as zephyr and mercerised muslins. There is, by the by, an uncommon variety of shantung — the puro_ white. Let ue hope that its demand will not be so great as is just now the case with thp ordinary natural tone. Shop windows are filled with it. With the white, as with tho natural tint, black aatin is introduced as a trimming, and sometimes there aire decidedly aggressive buttons of crochet or cotton braid. Pearl buttons are to figure f prominently on a number of the new inon suits, and fancy boarders are a feature of nearly all tho new cotton dress and blouse stuffs. SOME ITEMS FROM PARIS. According to one authority tho newest freak is the tailored suit of satin. This will not surprise the observant woman who will have seen it coming. Tho smart trotteur suits of taffeta.s silk, shaiqtung, and tho day gown of satin have prepared the way to tho s:\tin costume. It is remarkably smart in some of the beautiful shades in which satins are dyed. The sine qua non for the success of these satin suits is absolute simplicity, and tho tailored look is the first essential. The sleeve is put into the ra.ther wide shoulder without pleats or fulness of any kind, just as is done with a man's coat sleeve, and with such a material at satin, the best possible tailoring and padding are essential. But the skirt? are not always cut with the same severity, for some of them aro pleated. There is an all-round increasing tendenqy to more elaborate skirts — reaction froim the bkinned-eel effects which have bcetu bo long in vogue. PARISIAN IIAIRDRESSING. It is probable that one of Iho nowest French methods of hairdressing will not becomo very popular o\er hero bacauso it is difficult of accomplishment. The hair is tied rather low down at tho back, divided into two pieces, and wra.pped round the head like .a coif. The front and sides ara. slightly puffed out and must have small pads undorneath. At the back, also, the strands of hair have some padding slipped beneath to make the head look Urgor and to give it a, lonp sba'v;- .Ualwa tho .wearer Ja Jpr.

(unato enough to own hair that is of a very even length, it is impossible to keep such a coiffure neat, odd lengths of hair escaping and causing an untidy appearance. Here is another French method which is opposed in several details to the ar- I rangement just described : It is desirable, for evening wear at any rate, that tho head shall have as small an appearance as possible, and it is to be literally wrapped with hair round it to aa to suggest a close-fitting cap — of pads there are none — but instead there is a large thick plait worn like a bandagje. The ornaments which accompany this arrangegment, and which sometimes tako the place of tho plait, are varied. They may consist of plaques of dull motal which aro studded with semi-precious stones, and which # entirely hide the ears. Sometimes a thick plait of pearls is passed round the head, while more simple aro garlands of small rosebuds or other dwarf flowors. When large hats are worn Ihe hair has still to bo wide and full. The heavy plait i wound round the shapely head^ just imprisoning tho ears at the tips, certainly does become some siyles of face.